Another week, another narrow victory. The Baltimore Ravens pushed their record to 3-1 with a win over the Tennessee Titans that wasn't as close as the scoreboard would indicate. Jesse Minter's team is off to a hot start and is currently in a strong position to reclaim their spot atop the AFC North.
Their challengers are not who they would have expected. The Cleveland Browns technically hold the lead in the division due to their win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday night.
Through four weeks, here's how things shake out in the AFC North.
AFC North power rankings after Week 4
Week 4 results:
- Browns beat Steelers 27-24
- Bengals lose to Jaguars 22-17
- Ravens beat Titans 24-18
1. Baltimore Ravens
Assuming Lamar Jackson doesn't miss too much time with the ankle injury that limited his participation in Week 4, the Ravens are well on their way to a division title in Minter's first season at the helm. Offensive coordinator Declan Doyle looks like a hit with his unit ranking in the NFL's top 5 in most statistical categories.
The Ravens need to prove that they can put games away in the fourth quarter, but this should be an encouraging first month of the season for fans.
Next game: Sunday, Oct. 11th @ Falcons
2. Cleveland Browns
We're still waiting for the Browns to turn back into a pumpkin. Deshaun Watson's team has pulled off another close win, this time over a division rival. While they still haven't taken down a true contender, the Browns will be a pesky underdog at the very least. Todd Monken has created a capable offense with minimal tools available to him.
Even if it all falls apart at some point in the coming weeks, the Browns should be thrilled with their start to the year.
Next game: Sunday, Oct. 11th @ Jets
3. Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals are finding new reasons to come up short. Instead of their defense, it was their offense that let them down against the Jacksonville Jaguars. After Ja'Marr Chase went down, Joe Burrow struggled to get anything going in the passing game.
Now 2-2, the Bengals face an uphill climb to make the playoffs for the first time since 2022. An improved defense is enough to make this team competitive, but the offense needs to hit its stride quickly. Cincinnati has a perfect get-right opportunity in Week 5 against the Miami Dolphins.
Next game: Sunday, Oct. 11th @ Dolphins
4. Pittsburgh Steelers
Is it a surprise to anyone to see the Steelers start the season at 2-2? This franchise can't escape its persistent mediocrity, even after moving on from Mike Tomlin. Aaron Rodgers has played a more exciting brand of football over the last two weeks, but Pittsburgh's offense is still a bottom-six unit by EPA per play and success rate.
Even if Rodgers can improve throughout the season, the Steelers' ceiling is still somewhere around the .500 mark that they've strived for over the last decade.
Next game: Sunday, Oct. 11th vs. Colts
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